Look for the smallest containers to save your left over ink.
I try to put small amounts of ink on my palette, so I don’t end up throwing it away. I say,
“You can always put more out, but you can’t put it back in the tube.”
I found some very small plastic containers with a snap tight lid, like those of an old film canister. I also found some a little bigger as you can see in the picture.
The smaller the better for tiny amounts of ink. There will be less air in the container, so the ink will dry out more slowly.
I usually:
Use a palette knife to scrape the ink off the palette and into the container
Then I give it a little spritz of water to keep it damp
If you look closely you can see the texture of the fabric in this little print. It is an experiment in using acrylic paint. The paint dries very fast and that makes it hard to plan and to get a strong transfer of color. I topped this one off with some thermofax screen printing.
Monotype print on fabric with the gelatin plate – linda germain
I like to work on piece of the print at different times. This “saves some whites” or lights. Often when layer and masking the monotype print can get dark or muddy after just a few layers. Don’t you just love the “bubble” on the left side. It is one of my favorite tools – a floor mop sponge.
Used stamping tools to lift off and apply ink to the gelatin plate.
I love the delicate marks that are possible when printing with the gelatin plate and ink. These prints were all made without a press and with mere hand pressure.
Gelatin monotype print on fabric – with a bubble wrap dress stencil
I have had these dress stencils for years. I cut paper doll style dresses from paper, plastic, wire mesh and bubble wrap. The texture of the stencil is captured in what I refer to as the detailed impression. It is generally the impression that is created by the ink that lies under the masking stencils.
Monoprint on cotton fabric with ink and the glycerin and gelatin plate
I have been doing what I call palette prints. They are clean up prints at the end of a session. I just have fun with the left over ink. The background in this monoprint is a palette print.
Floral stencils used to create this gel monotype print
Lots going on in this simple print on fabric. I call the white shapes = shaped impressions. These are the shapes created by masking stencils. There are some brayer marks on the right edge and a detailed impression in the top left corner.
Monotype on damp fabric with a piece of grass as a stencil
This is just a snapshot of a larger print. Of course it was my last print of the day and then therefore my favorite. I must be more experimental or loose when I am just trying to use up my ink. And the prints that come from that attitude are usually fresh, exciting and my favorite.
Monotype print on the gelatin plate with grass as a masking stencil
I hope you have enjoyed these few gelatin plate monotype prints on fabric. If you would like to make prints on fabric with a group of international artist, then sign up for Monoprinting on Fabric. It is a 4 week online printmaking course with Linda Germain. Check out the details and sign up today.
Heavy wind and rain here at my studio. Click below and enjoy a minute of “rain in the drain”
Flow is important to me when I making monoprints. Flow is:
effortless
steady
beyond though control
usually allows for results that exceed thought
Make gelatin Monotype prints on fabric with Linda Germain
I have discovered that gelatin printing monotypes on fabric has a very different flow for me as compared to gel printing on paper. I have noticed:
transfer of ink is different
hand pressure is different
brayer care is different
potential marks are different
impressions are different
time management is different
As I walked through the rain this morning, I was very aware that the street was the same but different. It was covered with a thin sheet of ice and that required:
awareness
adaptation
patience and
adjustment of expectations.
I think that when I apply those attitudes to making monoprints, then I have more success. What do you think?
